August 24, 2023
FC Ballkani won the 2022/23 Kosovan domestic title by finishing 3 points ahead of FC Drita for their second title, having won for the first time in 2021/22. Striker Albion Rrahmani scored 24 goals but has recently signed for Rapid Bucharest, and Albanian Under 21 midfielder Nazmi Gripshi was credited with 12 assists.
Ballkani almost caused a sensation in the First Qualifying Round of this year’s Champions League with a 2-0 home win over perennial Group stage qualifiers Ludogorets from Bulgaria, but the fairy tale ended with a 0-4 reverse in Razgrad. Their Europa Conference campaign saw a 7-1 aggregate win over Northern Ireland side Larne, and a 5-1 win over Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar, and their three home matches had been won without conceding a goal.
In 2022/23 Ballkani became the first side ever from Kosovo to reach the group stages of the Europa Conference after eliminating La Fiorita of San Marino ( 10-0 on aggregate ), KI from the Faroe Islands on penalties, and Shkupi of North Macedonia. In their group they surprised Sivasspor 4-3 in Turkey, and drew 1-1 at home to Romanians CFR Cluj, but lost their other 4 games to finish bottom of the group.
Their home ground is the 3,000 capacity Suva Reka City Stadium, in Suva Reka in central southern Kosovo, and the side are also known as The Gabriels. Their home kit is orange shirts with black shorts. However, matches in UEFA competitions are played in the 13,900 capacity National Stadium in Prishtina.
The Ballkani starting XI featured three Kosovan internationals ; right-back Armend Thaqi ( 5 caps ), ex-Hajduk Split centre-back Lumbardh Dellova ( 1 cap ) and fellow central defender Bajram Jashanica ( 6 caps ), who has previously played for serial Albanian match-fixers Skenderbeu. Nazmi Gripshi also has Skenderbeu on his CV. Interestingly, Ballkani had an Englishman on their bench, Yoan Marc-Olivier had apparently played for Tower Hamlets !
BATE are not the force that once recorded victories over Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Roma & Everton and drew with Juventus and Paris St Germain. They only got their place in the UEFA Champions League after finishing third in the 2022 Belarus league, but Shakhtyor Soligorsk and Energetik BGU-Minsk were prevented from competing due to allegations of match-fixing.
BATE managed to get past Partizani of Albania in the First Qualifying Round 3-1 on aggregate, but their leaky defence saw them eliminated 5-11 by Aris Limassol and then 3-7 by Sheriff Tiraspol in the Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round.
Despite looking weaker on paper, BATE’s starting line-up included 9 Belarus full-internationals and an Ivory Coast international. Indeed, with ex Dinamo Brest and Rukh striker “Big” Denis Laptov ( 30 caps ) they always possess a goal threat.
Midway through this summer’s Belarus league they stood in 7th place, with a 6-4-4 record and midfielder Denis Gromyko was their top scorer with 6 goals.
Bet 365, who streamed the match live, made Ballkani 8/11 favourites, with the draw at 13/5 and BATE 15/4. Looking at the countries respective UEFA coefficients, Kosovo stood in 35th place whilst Belarus had slipped from 40th to 49th. Next season Belarus will probably start 54th ( second last ) after their 2,500 points from 2019/20 are deducted as part of the rolling 5 year calculation.
BATE were in a change kit of blue with yellow trim and were initially under the pump as Korenica’s left footed 20 yard low shot went a couple of feet wide, and Trashi flashed a shot across the face of goal after being put in space down the left.
BATE had a brief reprieve as Kontesevoy sent a shot well wide, and then sensationally took the lead in the 10th minute. A chip forward from Malkevich didn’t initially appear to be too threatening, but Laptev showed remarkable skill to pull the ball out of the air and then volley home from six yards. Laptev might have been off-side, but there was no replay.
Ballkani almost responded immediately as Thaqi set-up Gripshi, but his left-footed effort on the stretch was blocked on the line by Khadarkevich.
BATE had a brief spell of pressure and could have won a penalty when Kontsevoy looked to have been chopped down after running onto a pass from Jimoh but the Bulgarian referee refused to award the spot-kick, and there was no TV replay to confirm or otherwise. Jimoh then sent an inviting cross across the face of the home area, but no attackers were on hand to take advantage.
Ballkani started to press and in the 30th minute they grabbed an equalizer. There didn’t seem to be any obvious danger as Trashi delivered a corner, but Jashanica dived ahead of Khadarkevich to send the ball into the far corner for the equalizer as BATE failed to put any defenders on the posts.
Ballkani’s Kuc suffered an unfortunate injury when challenging Grechikho but received an accidental elbow to the head and had to leave the field with blood streaming down his face. He soon returned with a bandage on his head.
BATE’s Kontesevoy then went on a mazy run but his low cross struck Thaqi and went off for a corner. BATE finished the half strongly and Jimoh chipped the ball into the area from the left but ahead of his teammates.
Ballkani were immediately on top in the second half, with Berisha shooting well over after getting on the end of Korenica’s long ball, Korenica should have done better when hammering high after Bane could only partially head away a cross, then after a good move Berisha spooned high from 10 yards after a good pull-back by Thaqi.
After 56 minutes Khadarkevich fouled Tolaj to receive a yellow card and concede a free-kick in a dangerous position. Thaqi delivered the ball into the 6 yard box where Tolaj managed to get his head to it ahead of Bane and the ball bounced and then went in off the post to give the Kosovans the lead, which frankly had looked like it was coming.
The impressive Thaqi then blazed wide following a run from close to the halfway line. BATE produced a rare attack as Laptev’s effort was blocked for a corner but Ballkani extended their lead a minute later. Thaqi crossed into the area where Tolaj spun and fired into the top corner from 8 yards after the ball had rebounded off Khadarkevich. VAR checked the goal for over 4 minutes for a possible handball, but eventually the goal was awarded. I’ve no idea why this took so long, as it looked an obvious good goal.
Berisha then showed good skill to send Nechaev the wrong way but his ball across the face of the goal was to nobody. Kuc then stepped inside Bocherov to send a 20 yard effort crashing against the bar.
Tolaj shot over from a good position after receiving a pass from Kryeziu following a short corner routine but Ballkani grabbed their 4th goal a minute from time. From BATE’s point of view it was a sloppy goal to concede, Thaqi’s in-swinging ball from the left was missed by everyone and nestled into the corner of the goal.
A fourth goal probably flattered Ballkani but they were worthy winners on the night and should have made the return leg, which due to sanctions imposed on Belarus is being played in Hungary, a formality. BATE have now conceded 15 goals in their last three away games in European competitions.
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgd1oWK1QQQ
FC Ballkani : Kolici – Thaqi, Dellova, Jashanica, Trashi – Korenica ( Ramadani ), Kuc, Kryeziu ( Limaj ) – Gripshi, Berisha ( Marc-Olivier ), Tolaj ( Potoku )
BATE Borisov : Kudravets – Necheav, Khadarkevich, Bane, Jimoh – Gromyko ( Islamovic ), Bocherov, Grechikho ( Shestyuk )– Malekevich ( Podstrelov ), Laptev ( Antilevski ), Kontsevoy
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